Schenectady, NY - Despite a pair of dominating pitching performances from David Kinney (Mexico, NY) and Bryan Chudy (Goshen, NY), the Clarkson University Baseball team was able to only come away with a split in the opening Liberty League doubleheader against Union College, falling 1-0 in the opener and claiming the nightcap 2-0 at Central Park.

The Golden Knights moved to 7-4 overall on the season and 1-1 in the Liberty League, while Union pushed its mark to 5-4 and 1-1 in conference games. The two teams are scheduled to play another doubleheader starting at 12:00 noon on Sunday.

In the first game, Kinney scattered seven hits over seven and two-thirds innings as the Dutchmen were able to claim a walk-off victory on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning. Clarkson had its chances earlier in the game to push runs across, but fell short. In the top of the second inning, the Knights had runners on second and third with two outs but couldn't cash in, and had runners on first and second in the third inning but fell short. In the sixth inning, Clarkson had back-to-back hits from Bobby Derico (Watervliet, NY) and Kinney to open the inning, but following a sacrifice bunt from David Wixted (Ballston Lake, NY), the Knights came up empty.

In game two, the two teams exchanged goose eggs again, but the Knights were able to push runs across in the third and in the sixth. Scott Morrissey (Troy, NY) singled with one out in the third and stole second base and Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY) followed with a walk. Third baseman Peter-Jon Clarke (Tully, NY) singled up the middle to plate Morrissey, providing the Knights with their first run in 11 innings against the Dutchmen. In the sixth, needing an insurance run, Dan Lenney (Clifton Park, NY) opened the inning with a walk and was pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt by John Coleman (Potsdam, NY). A walk by pinch-hitter Jarrod Mattingly (Philadelphia, NY) created a first-and-second situation for freshman Tim Beninati (Schoharie, NY), and the first-year catcher delivered with a single to left field to send Lenney scampering home for a 2-0 Clarkson lead.

Chudy pitched well, but got into trouble in the seventh with Union taking its final at bat. He opened the inning with a walk and then gave up a single. Fortunately for the Knights, a Union baserunner was caught off base for the first out and a fielder's choice forced another out. Chudy then got his only strikeout of the game, whiffing the final hitter on three pitches, to claim the shutout victory.